Gastric Bypass

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is recognized as the gold standard treatment for obesity because of its low complication rate and long-term success in achieving weight loss.

Here's how it works: Normally, food passes through the stomach and enters the small intestine, where most of the nutrients and calories are absorbed. The partially digested material then passes into the larger intestine for further processing. The remaining waste is eventually excreted.

In a Roux-en-Y procedure, the surgeon makes the stomach smaller by using surgical staples or a plastic band to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach. The pouch is then connected directly to the middle portion of the small intestine, bypassing the rest of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine.

With a much smaller “stomach,” you will feel full quickly and have a much smaller appetite. In the first year after surgery, the average patient loses as much as 100 pounds or more, or about two-thirds of their excess weight. Some patients lose more than this; some lose less. In the second year, weight loss continues, but less rapidly.